Given certain aspects of the recent past, including and especially the midterm elections in November, it sure seemed like this Black History Month was set to be among the best of all time. And while that might sound like hyperbole to some, just look at what we saw in the first month of the year alone.
Among the highlights was the fact that California Sen. Kamala Harris declared her candidacy for the White House and made the announcement on
Martin Luther King Jr.‘s national holiday, for crying out loud. And, even on the pettier side of things, word had it in January after the bombshell docuseries “
Surviving R. Kelly” that the disgraced accused pedophile
was broke (something that was later all but confirmed last month).
Hell, I even wrote a story about how 2019 was shaping up to be one of the most amazing years on record for Black history, period. Forget about just the month, I was looking long-range, thinking well beyond the brief 28 days the country designated to celebrate the history of people who look like me! I was putting forth that New Year’s Resolution-esque positive energy that can many times be quickly sapped before February even arrives.
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Alas, the rose-tinted Cartier shades through which I thought I was viewing life turned out to be nothing more than a bootleg pair of generic glasses that are more commonly found on a vendor’s blanket laying on the dusty curb of 125th street.
And so it would be:
The Virginia blackface scandal unceremoniously jump-started what would arguably turn out to be quite possibly the very worst Black History Month in modern history. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has continued to flaunt his white privilege while in office while his Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax’s job hangs in the balance after two women accused him of sexually assaulting them years ago.
From
Candace Owens to
Ben Carson to
Paris Dennard, things would only get worse from there. As such, here is the very worst in this year’s very forgettable Black History Month, in as much of chronological order as possible.
Now let’s all raise a glass and toast to not experiencing anything remotely near a repeat of the racist shenanigans of this past month. Cheers!
1. Black unemployment goes back up
After months of taking credit for President Obama’s handiwork with the economy, the president will need to also start taking credit for the damage he has done to
2. The Jussie Smollett case
Chicago cops give us a glimpse of their shadiness that would come to dominate the unfortunate episode’s narrative.
3. The Virginia blackface scandal begins
4. Kristoff St. John dies
5. 21 Savage gets arrested
6. Liam Neeson explains he once wanted to kill any "black bastard"
7. Diamond and Silk are invited to the State of the Union address
8. Surprise! Northam admits he lied about wearing blackface
9. Alabama cop gets away with shooting hero in the back
10. The Virginia blackface scandal deepens
11. Even the Virginia AG said he wore blackface!
12. Justin Fairfax is accused of sexual assault
13. William Barr is confirmed at U.S. attorney general
14. Frank Robinson dies
15. Tim Scott replaces Ben Carson at Black History Month event
16. The Sunken Demon returns
17. New woman accuses Justin Fairfax of rape
18. Calls grow for Justin Fairfax to leave office
19. Black Virginians go to bat for Northam
20. The not-so-friendly skies
21. Smokey Robinson defends J-Lo's Motown tribute at the Grammys
22. The anniversary of Whitney Houston's death
23. Things start to crumble for Justin Fairfax
24. The future of The Wendy Williams Show is uncertain
25. Chicago police keep getting it wrong in the Jussie Smollett case
26. Bill Cosby says he's a "political prisoner"
27. New R. Kelly child porn tape emerges
28. Bernie Sanders says he's running for president… again
29. Voter suppression playing out in real-time
30. This is America
31. Clarence Thomas is still on the SCOTUS bench
32. More retail racism
33. Nick Sandmann and the Covington boys resurface
34. The line between a white cop and a white supremacist has always been blurry
35. Jussie Smollett gets arrested
36. Coast Guard lieutenant is outed as a domestic terrorist white supremacist
37. Trump throws up a Black Power fist
38. The fix is in with the Botham Jean case
39. Folks want Justin Fairfax gone without any due process
40. 'Green Book' wins Best Picture at the Academy Awards
41. All-white panel decides what constitutes racism against Black people
42. No words
43. The Jussie Smollet saga continues
44. R. Kelly is bailed out of jail by a 'friend'
45. Paris Dennard returns to TV
46. Northam's wife must have felt left out, so she joined the racists
47. Van Jones doing Van Jones things
